Payback
Oh, my God. This was so incredibly well written, and the characters are awesome! You keep it so close in line with how I always saw them in the show, and what they could have been. I am desperately hoping you intend to continue this piece of art!
I wish you would continue
this is so awesome
i hope you write more soon
exciting stuff!
joyce is coming!
i'm glad things went well
Glad to see Faith is doing good! excited for the next chapter
Awesome story. I'm hooked. Can't wait for the next chapter. :)
Gahhhhh yay. :D i love this 'what if joss didnt like his leading ladies with an assload of angst' alternate universe aspect to this story!!! Faith is BA, buffy is cute, willow is cray cray adorbs and my moe-meter is full. For this, i thank you. :]
Really enjoying what you've written so far. I can't wait to see more!
awesome chap, sooo glad your back with this!!
So, the werewolf thing.
Gotta say, i have to deal with this from time to time, in roleplaying games.
My take: it's like being on drugs/drunk. You are not responsable for your actions, but you are responsable for getting in that situation. Like owning a rabid dog. If you didn't know, no harm.
But if you knew about being a werewolf, it's your responsability to make sure the beast doesn't get out.
And if you don't, you should be punished accordingly.
Anyway, nice to see Faith's kind and caring side, and Faith's 'deal with your shit' side.
So, many thinks about this ep.
Nice work.
Also, are we going to see Tara in the series?
I mean, we could. We don't know how long she was in sunnydale before Willow ran into her.
Please please?
R
Wow, i only just noticed the Willow/Faith interaction.
I went baqck and did some more reading, seems i missed a chapter!
Wow, Willow smooching Faith!
I'm really hoping Willow gets together with Tara, even if it happens in the background.
I like me some Twillow every bit as much as i like some Fuffy.
Definately haging out for more :)
R
Author's Response:Woot! Two reviews!
Yeah, they kissed. Fancy that...
Don't worry. I *did* file this story under Buffy/Faith, after all...
More is now up!
~OW
Heya!
Loving the story so far.
Liking that the girls are making slow headway.
Def liking that Faith kinda has her shit together, and some self respect.
And go Joyce!
Willow is especially interesting in this.
I wonder if she's going to bump into a shy witch at some stage, now that she's slightly closer to figuring herself out.
Well written story, def waiting for more.
R
Author's Response:Thanks for reading! I definitely wanted Faith to be more together in this one. Glad you enjoy Joyce; she's an awesome character. I haven't gotten to Tara yet, but I'm sure to include her. How could I not?
~OW
Where to start? I've just bulk read all the chapters so far for this story and I can't get enough!! It's really well written and the character personalities are leaping out of the computer. So vivid and full of flavour. The way you've interspersed cannon events works really well.
I am worried, however, that Willow and Faith might get together... This is something I'm noticing. Say it ain't so?! Either that or Willow gets a massive crush on Faith, Buffy gets jealous as she figures out she also has feelings for Faith, they both make moves on Faith in their own unique ways, Faith picks Buffy, Willow gets upset and then angry and does that 'let her will be done' spell... Hmmm sorry, got a little caught up there :D
I think Faith's relationship with Joyce is wonderful and much needed. Faith's really doing it for me in this fic, so dominat and assured, yet vulnerable at times and honest.
I can't wait for the next chapter... I can sense it's going to be a good one.
Author's Response:Thanks! That's pretty high praise!
Willow and Faith are developing a pretty close friendship. I'm not promising more sexual tension, but I'm not ruling it out either. Willow wants what she wants. What if she *does* want Faith? Oh, what would Buffy do...?
Faith's an awesome character to write. There's endless depth to her, which makes her an ideal lead for a story. Joyce was a pleasure to write. I plan on using her a fair bit.
Sorry for the long wait, but a new chapter is now up!
~OW
mmm I like this story but I do have a problem with saying that Willow learned vindictivness from Faith. If Willow learned vindictiveness from anyone it would have been Cordelia who made her life a living hell long before Faith ever showed up. Although I do like the idea of Willow being more powerful as a witch earlier in the timeline. Ugh not the Initiative, those guys always fuck things up. All that testosterone and so sure that they have the answers. I hope Faith kicks their collective asses. I actually reread this story from the beginning and really like the direction you have taken it.
Author's Response:Thanks for reading! Heh, Cordy certainly knew how to be vindictive, that's for sure. Willow always had it in her to be a powerhouse; all she needed was a push. Who better than Faith? Also, what's the point of a S4 story if I can't beat up on the Initiative? Come on!
New chapter up!
~OW
Whew- another great chapter! :)
More Joyce than I was expecting and I loved it- you write her very well; sympathetic, warm and loving but also recognisably Joyce. Human-with her own worries to deal with.
Faith's childhood in Boston rang utterly true (Mangled 'Go Ask Malice' notwithstanding) even though it was really dark and horrifying to here. This whole scene with Joyce and Faith was a highlight.
Plus 'testicular shock'...ouch. :(
Like the little nods to the 'official' timeline- Cordy referencing 'Room W/a Vu'.
Skipping over 'Beer Bad' was definitly wise, although its a shame that Faith missed Halloween again.
Looking forward to Thanksgiving. 'Pangs' holds all sorts of possibilities...
And...Willow. Wow, Season 4 is where we see the first signs of Willow's darker side and it certainly made itself known here.
Going all-badass on Veruca made sense in this context (a more confident Willow) and Wolf-girls ultimate fate was...troubling.
I'm not sure it was 'right' exactly (even though Veruca is horrible/scummy) but having thought about it it was probably better than having her savaged to death by wolf-Oz.
Does that mean Oz won't be leaving this time? Interesting either way.
*sigh* And The Initiative, well I guess it makes sense that they would be stationed at both Hellmouths.
Intrigued by future plotting- overall looking good!
Love the banner- this story is 'banner-worthy.' :)
Author's Response:Thanks! I put a lot of effort into getting Joyce right, and I'm glad it was received well.
Faith's background was something that took me a while to decide on. Too heavy and it's overkill; but too light and Faith's character loses something important. And yes, testicular shock. lol
Beer Bad and Cordy's blurb was exactly that: A time stamp. As for Halloween, I really couldn't make it work.
Heh. Thanksgiving... Keep that in mind. In all honesty, the 'romance' part of this story really can't take off until 'Pangs' and 'I Will Remember You.'
I firmly believe that all Willow ever needed to be a badass was an encouraging shove, which Faith provided. As for right, I acutally analyze that a bit in the new update.
And the Initiative... can't leave out our favorite redshirts!
Glad you like the banner!
luv your story! like the relationships your building between them all. had to smirk at willows reaction to faith,could have been part of the trouble in canon?
Author's Response:Glad you're enjoying it! I think that Willow and Faith go very well together. I can certainly see it in canon, especially with Willow going gay in S4.
~OW
Wow, my favourite chapter so far! :)
It's good to know where we are in the S4 timeline, Spike getting his butt kicked by two slayers (again) was just icing on the cake.
Loved what Faith did to Parker- a repeat of the treatment she gave Scott- simple, yet I found it more effective than the various things that happened to him on the actual show (Willow calling him on his bs, Cave Bufffy and Riley hitting him)
Faith knows where to hurt a slease like him. :)
Pleased that we got more Buffy/Faith interacting, Faith coming over just like, without even thinking about it, that was sweet and heartwarming.
Faith talking with Joyce was great to read. Plus the Buffy/Faith mating dance...hot! not to mention Faith gently teasing Willow- it was all great.
And then as a bonus we get Faith guest-starring on Angel instead of Oz- and getting to beat on Spike again. :)
I have to say I thought that maybe at this point you were gonna pull the trigger and dust his ass (he is a REALLY devisive character) but I had to settle for Faith shooting him in the face a whole bunch. *sigh* I'll take what I can get. ;)
But that ending, with Faith at the airport and then the lady's POV to the Joyce/Faith meeting...man, I damn near choked up. 'Cause that's how Faith is, deep down- this really raw, sweet, genuine, damaged woman that you know how to write.
Kudos.
Whenever you decide to write more I will eagerly read. :)
Author's Response:I'm so, so glad you enjoyed my chapter ending. Here's hoping that the newest addition will also be to your liking.
I think Spike is a horrible character, but only because he was overused. As a recurring villain, he was perfect. Don't worry, though, he's got more abuse heading his way.
Parker was fun to write - and I agree, revenge is always best served with a side of embarassment.
Mating dance, huh? Well yes, I suppose it is...
Joyce is fun to write - and I've just finished writing a whole lot of her for the next chapter!
And Willow? Keep your eye on Willow...
~OW
ah just love this fic! please update quicker ;-)
Author's Response:Another update, just for you! Might be a bit for the next one, though.
~OW
So I read through all 5 chapters in one go when I realised that I'd read, and very much liked, your Faith one-shot.
I always enjoy Faith POV stories, and yours is a very original take on her, her road to redemption, and the Bffuy-verse as a whole. That's pretty had to do in a field as crowded as Fuffy tends to be! :)
You write really well, the story flows naturally from chapter to chapter, and all the characters have a real, distinct voice to them.
Faith starting over in Cleaveland was a real fresh view of her character, reading about her striving on her own before going back to Sunnydale was good, and also important.
I also like that your not rushing her relationship with Buffy, just keeping it ticking along in the background. Another good move.
I don't often say this but I enjoy all your original characters- Mark and Sara and Vi, I didn't think I would butI guess thet snuck into my affections just like they did Faith's.:)
Their pretty regular folks caught up in occult craziness- in this chapter especially I really enjoyed Sara and Vi's reactions to things.
And Willow! Honestly being a Faith fan and a Willow fan is hard sometimes, 'cause they really don't get on much. But I was glad to see them bond (and Willow lust a little bit...) when Faith asked her for help.
The Willow POV's were very true to her character- and it was nice to see her see Faith in a positive light with mentoring Vi and caring for her friends.
Overall I'm enjoying Faith being a badass Slayer and taking on W&H- interested to see where this goes. :)
Author's Response:Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it!
Faith is the most interesting character to write from, not only for her problems but also because she's such a blank slate - but doesn't *feel* like a blank slate. It's great! And I disgree - Fuffy fanfiction tends to revolve around serveral very tired scenarios. There's room for so much more!
I picked Cleveland for its importance but overall lack of detail in the Buffyverse. I think I glossed over too much in the first chapter, but I also wanted a lot of that out of the way. Maybe sometime in the future I'll post an updated (and necessarily longer) chapter 1.
I want to see Buffy and Faith gravitate together in a healthy fashion. I hate angst with a passion, even though some authors (looking at you, too) write it well enough that I read the story anyways.
I'm glad you like my characters. I've tried to make them as genuine as possible. Faith's going to be jumping locations a fair bit, so I want Cleveland to be memorable as a home base.
Willow was fun to write, and the fits together with Faith almost better than Buffy does. I have a Fillow fic in mind; one day, I'll get around to writing and posting it!
Wolfram & Hart are nasty enemies. I figured that I'd introduce them to a better opponent than Angel could ever be.
I did sneak in an update, so I hope you like the new chapter just as much!
~OW
I really enjoyed all the different perspectives you had in this chapter. I especially liked Mark's at the end, mostly because I wasn't expecting that at all.
It's great that Joyce is staying true to her word and is willing to talk to Faith and be the mother figure she really needs. Loved Faith's reaction when she said she'd visit!
Looking forward to more chapters! :)
Author's Response:Ah, Mark: The textbook new-age martial artist and spiritualist. Exercise, meditate, eat organic vegan, don't worry, be happy. Then his wife is possessed and he's saved by his student/client/friend who happens to have super powers, calmly points out the possibility of possession like it was completely obvious, and just happens to have several rolls of duct tape on hand for just such an event.
What else is there to do but have a mental breakdown?
Joyce, Vi, Buffy, and to a lesser extent Mark and Sara are all about Faith slowly coming out of her very spikey shell. Everyone else here remind us that Faith is not perfect or flawless by any means, and that while I write faith in first person, her point of view is naturally biased and not always accurate.
More to come soon!
~OW
The reactions from the scoobies are very realistic, especially the ones coming from Willow and Xander. I like that Faith reminded them that they were never really friends.
Buffy's response is interesting. I like that she didn't try to fight Faith and actually listened. Loved what happened with Joyce, too!
Great chapter! :)
Author's Response:When I watched the S4 episodes again, I felt that most of the fight came from Faith's side. With Faith in 'talk' mode, I am certain that Buffy would talk, too. I also feel that she would be the quickest to forgive. Maybe it's just me reading into what I saw in S3 and S4, but I think Buffy felt some genuine friendship for Faith, and I can never forget Buffy's look of complete shock just after she stabbed Faith. There was no other reason (imo) to put that look in other than to convey that the fight went somewhere that Buffy never intended it to go, knife in hand or not.
Also, I think canon Faith is a bit of a masochist. I'm not sure how much, if at all, I'll play with that - in this story, at least.
Joyce came easy. I have to look no further than my own mother for how a compassionate, concerned adult would behave. Mama Bear is Mama Bear. Mama Bear always wins.
Xander came pretty easy - just dial for angry victim. Willow is every bit as elitist as Cordelia is; the only difference is that Cordelia is an plutocrat (rule by wealthiest) while Willow is a technocrat (rule by most intelligent/specialized). Faith never did fit in Willow's world view until S7. Buffy, by contrast, fit Willow's ideal of a ruling specialist.
Just for the sake of saying it, Buffy and Faith are both autocrats (rule by one) that clash on morals and ethics.
~OW
Right before I get into the review, I just want to comment on what a reviewer and you said in response, the reviewer said and you agreed that faith doesn't feel guilty for what she did which isn't true, she did feel guilt, so much so that she tried to commit suicide by cop (getting Angel to kill her) she enjoyed the body swap at the time because it felt to her as a clean slate, she showed her disgust for herself at the end of the episode by brutally hitting her body and this was after she took it upon herself to rescue some innocents in a church. Faith just doesn't open up like others do but she does feel guilt, she just either tries to bury it (which made things worse) or when helped by angel, deals with it and does the right thing.
As for the story. its good, I enjoy it but the pacing should slow down a bit now as we now got a grasp of what is going on.
I found Buffy to be incredible naive in this chapter though, you're right in that Buffy would likely accept faith if the body swap didn't happen but I doubt she would immediatly trust her, Buffy is smart and cautious, she would still be wary.
Also Faith paying the scoobies off seems to be too much of an easy way out and a bit of a cheat, it should come to the point where the scoobies think the money is not a way out and faith should prove herself to them, though an independent faith is good, so whether she would is up to you but the the scoobies shouldn't be bought off and perhaps not accept the money until they believe Faith is genuine.
Characterization is very important, make sure characters keeps to the shows depiction of the characters, that means no asshole version of Riley(Riley being a dick is extremely common in fics which ruins it), Willow and Xander not being overly bitchy and nasty(another common one), Joyce being nice and caring but not overyly motherly, Giles being stern and disappointed in faith but not hateful or extremely angry etc.
You should add some complexity to Faith too, like maybe have her struggle with her sexuality i.e her old habit of sleeping around with men could be due to being in denial about being gay (which is common in people who are confused) and having self loathing (latter being worse from killing those two guys) too many (seriously too many!) of these fics simply gloss over the concept of sexuality by having Buffy and faith either Bi or having single-target sexuality (only having feelings for eachother) or not even mentioned at all, and while the world would be better if it wasn't an issue and you could just being with any gender with no personal issues, it just not that kind of world sadly.
All in all, good story so far, keep it up. I am looking forward to reading more but remember the pacing etc.
Author's Response:I always enjoy a review with some meat to it. Make a username so that your reviews are signed. It's much nicer to (relatively) know who I'm holding a conversation with.
Okay, your depiction of Faith's character is post S4 canon, which is not what I'm going for. To paraphrase what I mentioned in Haley's review below, my two assumptions are that a) Richard loved Faith, which changed her (slightly), and b) Faith's Slayer healing did not magically malfunction due to the needs of the TV series. Any fan fiction piece will adjust characters from their canon depiction to some degree or another. After all, we're aiming for a different outcome.
Judging from Buffy's dialogue before Faith poisoned Angel, the Slayer dream, and just before the body swap, I feel that Buffy would be the first to extend Faith an olive branch. You are also correct - paying off the Scoobies is indeed an easy way out - if you're trying to be moral and shoot for true redemption.
Which she isn't. Faith is an inherently selfish, elitist and vindictive person, and the love and affection of Buffy and Joyce will soften her only so much.
I have no plans to demonize any of the characters, which you seem to be worried about. Then again, conflicts between characters are bound to happen.
As to Faith's character: No. No angst. Faith is quite comfortable in her sexuality - as in she wants it. A lot. Faith doesn't really care that she killed people, though her first-person dialogue will hedge around this point. Faith and Buffy will orbit around each other for a good long while before a real relationship starts. Neither are truly gay, and they both have a lot on their plates. Buffy gets hurt by her relationships. Faith distrusts them. They definitely have work to do, but you won't see the standard denial-based drama that so many other fanfics have gone for.
In the end, I have most of this story planned out. Hope you stick around for the ride!
~OW
I like how you started this out. Faith's not getting obsessed with revenge or anything. She's trying to better herself instead and that's a great change of pace.
One interesting thing I noticed is that the only person she slept with more than once was someone who kind of looked like Buffy.
Can't wait to read what the new and improved Faith does next! :)
Author's Response:I made this story based on two major ideas:
First, that Richard loved Faith, and experiencing love would cause Faith to grow and mature (in small, bite-size steps). Faith's relationship with Buffy (and Joyce, and to a lesser extent with everyone else) grows as she learns to love herself.
Second, that Slayers on the TV series experienced Superman syndrome - that is, they were only as powerful as dramatically appropriate. Thus we get Faith sidelined in a coma that (imo) should not have happened, but was convenient for the writers at the time.
The plotline sort of spiralled out from those two ideas, and Cleveland sort of grew itself as I started cataloguing what I wanted to have happen. Hopefully, it all comes across as planned!
~OW
Woohoo!
I really liked this story.
I look forward to Buffy and Faith getting together :)
Def adding this to my favourites!
R
Author's Response:Thanks for the fav!
I'm going to draw it out a bit - not in an angsty way, but owing to the their lives: Both Slayers guarding Hellmouths, neither particularly gay, they live a continent apart... you know, real-world stuff that tends to keep people apart. I want them to grow together rather than fall hard right away. ~OW